


1688

by Little_Firestar84



Category: The Old Guard (Comics), The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Art, F/M, Immortality, One Shot, Short One Shot, reinassence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:01:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25330528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Firestar84/pseuds/Little_Firestar84
Summary: In 1688, Nicky and Joe- back then Nicolo and Yousef - are forced to flee Florence when Nicky is challenged to a duel. But before leaving, they say their goodbyes- to the city they've come to love, and to their good friend, painter Luca Giordano, who had two parting gifts for them: a painting to sell, and their features in his last work.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Comments: 2
Kudos: 115





	1688

**Author's Note:**

> Companion piece to Faith, where Nicky and Joe talked about how much they loved the Adoration of the shepherds by Giordano at Louvre and that they ahd actually met the painters in Florence in 1688. So, here is some context.

“Getting lost in your own thoughts, my beloved?” As Yusuf squeezed his shoulder, Nicolo sighed, shaking his head slightly. 

He had missed Italy. Florence was no Genova, but, still, it was better than nothing. Being able to talk in his own language again after five centuries, inspiring the atmosphere, seeing the familiar landscapes... he had missed it all, more than he cared to admit- more than he would have admitted to Yusuf, but, mostly, to Andromache. He knew that she always said that humans came with an expiration date, that they couldn’t stay too long in one place or people would have started asking questions they just didn’t have an answer for…

It had been five years already, and it was time to move on- move _away._ It was hard enough explaining why he lived with Yusuf, let alone talk about the fact that his scars magically vanished or why neither of them got old. And now, they just didn’t have any other choice: Nicolo had defended the honor of a young lady against a rich bully from a prominent noble family, who didn’t took kindly the disrespect. He had challenged to a duel Nicolo, and now it was either escapingbefore the duel, tarnishing his honor, or fight, get killed- because Nicolo wasn’t the kind of man who killed men just because they were idiots – hoping that nobody would notice (again) that he couldn’t die at all. 

The choice was easy. Escape it was.

In the main plaza, the Italian immortal lifted his gaze and sighed dreamily as he stared in awe at the painters working laboriously at the front of the Church, getting ready to the impeding nuptials of Ferdinando de Medici. He loved churches- he didn’t believe any longer in the institution that had told him he was supposed to hate people he had never met- the man he had fallen in love with- but buildings were a whole other thing. 

He loved art- he had always loved art, and his beloved was the same as him. They felt amazement, astonishment when they looked at a piece of art, as they were lost in contemplation. They felt like, for just a fraction of a lifetime, they could be the best versions of themselves. Like humanity could be better. Wiser. At peace.

“Nicolo! Giuseppe!” The immortals stopped and turned, their mouth lazily smiling as they saw their friend approaching.Luca- Luca Giordano, to be more accurate – was one of the painters working for the Medici family. Like them, he was a traveler- Naples, Florence, Roma, Madrid, London, he had been all over Europe to refine his technique and learn from the best in his field- dead and alive as well.Both Yusuf and Nicolo knew he came from old money, but, still, he liked to livelife to the fullest, among beautiful and expensive things… things that came from his side job, one that not too many knew of.Luca didn’t simply copy historical piece of arts to study them. He was a _forger._ His specialty were pieces from the late 1500, where it was still relatively easy to retrieve canvasses and colors. 

“Luca… it’s good to see you on last time before… well, _before_.” Nicolo, with glassy eyes, shacked his friend’s hand. He would have missed him, the easy camaraderie that had formed between them as soon as they met. Art, theatre, gossip- therewas nothing they didn’t share together, the three of them.They were a small legend in town- and they were the main subject of rumors, with the famous painters and his rich merchant friend who treated his servant as one of their own. 

Luca didn’t let it go of Nicolo’s hand; he sighed, shaking his head slightly, and stood in silence for far too long for his own comfort. Neither of them seemed able to speak, to break the spell, knowing that every word would have gotten them closer and closer to the eventual goodbye. 

“I know you have no intention of fighting Simone, my good friend.” Luca simply stated, knowing it to be true without needing anyone’s confirmation. “I know you’ll leave- that’s why I want you to come to my atelier. I got something for you and Giuseppe. A painting from Piero della Francesca. I already established contacts with a collector. I want you to sell it in my name, and keep the money. You’ll need it.”

“Luca, we can’t…” Yousefsaid, swallowing, but Luca shook his head, and squeezed his shoulder. 

“Yes, you can- and I want you to. Giuseppe, you and Nicolo have been good friends to me. When I felt I was lost and alone, you brought light and inspiration back in my grey existence.It’s only thanks to you if I’m here in Florence today and I didn’t came back to daddy begging him to go to work in his shop. So, please, accept my gift, as a token of my gratefulness.” 

“Thank you, Luca, you’ve always been a good friend. You never asked us any question, just accepted us and our friendship. For this, we are grateful.”

“I told you, Nicolo, I’m the grateful one. It’s because of you that I haven’t killed myself, or found myself at the bottom of a bottle. I owe you everything that I am, and more. That’s why I’m giving you that painting. And if you really want to pay me back? Let me use your features as references in my next painting. I’m doing an _Adoration of the Shepherds_ and there’s one of them that would just be perfect with Giuseppe’s skin tone and dark eyes!”

“Everything you want, my good friend,” Yousef laughed, patting Luca on the back. “Everything you want. Besides, how could I say no to the chance of letting posterity admiring my beauty?” 


End file.
